In order to be able to store an airbag in an airbag module it is known to fold the airbag into a correspondingly small packet. Different types of folding are known. Thus from U.S. Pat. No. 4,173,356, different types of straight line folding are known wherein the folds run in rays from a centre towards the outside or approximately parallel to each other. The drawback with these folds is that they have to be collapsed at least when used in a driver airbag module so that during unfolding of an airbag of this kind the internal pressure produced in partial areas of the airbag impede the opening of some folds. Furthermore the expense for folding is considerable.
From DE 44 22 276 A1 an airbag is known for an airbag module wherein the airbag has main folds which run at least in part along closed tracks round an imaginary centre on the substantially empty spread-out airbag. The closed main folds describe preferably circular paths or ellipses of slight eccentricity.
This path for the main folds has the advantage that the folded airbag can open very rapidly and easily. More particularly during the unfolding of such an airbag there is not the danger that the internal pressure produced in partial areas of the airbag will prevent the opening of further folds. This airbag can thereby be used for driver, passenger and side airbags. The drawback with this folding is that the expense for mechanical folding is high.